


The Truth Is The Cave

by wilfterblue



Category: PAW Patrol
Genre: Accidents, Angst and Feels, Blood and Injury, Broken Bones, Cave-In, Character Development, Dog - Freeform, Earthquakes, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, I'm Not Ashamed, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Maybe out of character, Medical, Medical Procedures, Panic Attacks, Phobias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rescue Missions, chase is BLAMING himself, i made rubble cry, marshall and alex are suffering, ryder and everest don't know what to do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29858169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wilfterblue/pseuds/wilfterblue
Summary: It was supposed to be a fun trip to the caves but Marshall should have expected that something is wrong the moment he heard rocks falling behind them.The ground was shaking violently and it was a clear indication that they should run.
Relationships: Chase & Marshall (PAW Patrol), Marshall - Relationship
Kudos: 3





	1. Grumble

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! If you have read this fic, then thank you!
> 
> I did thorough research on basic medical aid, so if you have problems with how not accurate it is, then I'm sorry. I am not a proper doctor nor EMT. Just a normal teenager who loves way too many cartoons.
> 
> Anyway, thanks again, and have a good time!

Marshall didn't imagine he would be trapped in a cave, much less so with Alex after having an exciting expedition inside the caves of Adventure Bay.

But now, it didn't seem as exciting as Marshall had previously thought back at the Lookout, and it only gets worse from there.

The Dalmatian attempted to push the boulders barricading their way, but it would hardly even budge. His pup tag had been lost in the devastation of the cave's entrance, possibly crushed somewhere if Marshall had ever found it. He quickly looks around, desperately hoping to uncover some kind of hole or convenient exit that will get him and Alex out—yet, there were zero escape routes. No path and gap in the stone walls. Just nothing.

They were stuck with no possible chances of rescue and Alex was heavily injured.

The little boy is crying loudly, cradling his arms, where a huge cut slashed his elbow from a jagged rock during the dash. Marshall was beginning to worry about how much time it will take before the injury gets infected with bacteria and he tried to substantiate to Alex that his team would find them soon. It was hard for Marshall not to watch as Alex continues to sob, thick tears pouring on his grimy cheeks.

“Everything is going to be okay,” No, it isn't, but he didn't want Alex to be alarmed. He's part of the PAW Patrol and it's his responsibility to help people in danger, despite the current state of his situation with no means of outward communication; Marshall had got to keep Alex from passing out. He struts over to his fallen backpack and it was comforting to know that Mr. Porter had planned this whole trip to the cave by placing the first aid-kit into the bag in case of emergencies, which is the perfect timing for their disaster, and Marshall internally thanks Mr. Porter for being a godsend.

Marshall rummages through the backpack, almost diving his head inside to find what he was looking for. When his snout touches something plastic, Marshall pulls up a wide grin on his face as he takes out the kit. The sound of the Dalmatian searching the stuff he needs for patching caught Alex's attention and the boy moved his eyes to Marshall as the pup draws the bandages, Neosporin, and other medical equipment that could benefit for now with his wound.

Once Alex saw them, he curled his body away from it, and Marshall took notice of this action. The Dalmatian felt incredibly guilty for getting Alex into this mess—it was supposed to be a perfect day for cave exploration and everything went disastrous in a matter of seconds.

He could still remember the clatter of rocks falling behind them and Marshall was the first to heed the turmoil. His ears were perked up and the next thing he knew, he shoved Alex out of the way as a large rock dropped to where he formerly was, saving his life.

But the event didn't stop there and all of his memories were soon blurred, filling his mind with muffled screaming and terrifying earthquakes he was sure he is feeling beneath his paws at the moment.

“Marshall?…”

Marshall was jerked out of his thoughts by a voice that sounded so far from where he is—like he was underwater or something. The feelings and images of the event subsided and Alex's pained and concerned expression slowly showed in his vision. The Dalmatian didn't sense that he was breathing heavily, his spotted fur marred by cold sweat. His legs slightly trembled but he steeled himself to stop. He needed to focus on his priorities and Alex is in terrible urgency of help.

He can't allow himself to slip into a panic attack.

“Are you okay?…” Alex asked, watching as the pup breathes in a sharp intake of air.

Marshall nodded, swallowing his nervousness. “I–I'm fine. Let's focus on your wound first, Alex,”

Alex was quiet and Marshall snatches a towel from his bag, treading over to him as he advises the boy to put pressure on the cut using the towel, plus bringing his arm above his heart. Alex listened to his instructions and cringes as sharp, stabbing pain knocks at his flesh—something that he isn't entirely used to—and everything really hurts on his arm all of a sudden. It made him let out a strange noise that Alex himself was startled and Marshall assured that it would fade away soon enough.

Tears broke out again and Marshall ignored how it caused his chest to tighten, his attention directed at making clear that it was enough pressure that the clotting process would be finished once they removed the towel. He counted several minutes of unbearable silence in his head and Marshall peeked at his arm before concluding that it's okay now to discard it. The Dalmatian's face wrinkled in slight repugnance as the sight of blood stained the entire towel red.

As an EMT pup, emotions will have to be put back to the back burner of his brain for now. One wrong move and he could potentially hurt Alex even more. Alex is horrified and tosses the towel away, not wishing to touch it anymore. Marshall didn't blame him, he would have done the same if he was in the same situation.

“Alex,” Marshall called him, and the boy raises his gaze at him. His eyes were dull and he seemed so out of it—clearly signs of blood loss. But hopefully, his team would find them and get Alex to a proper hospital. This is out of his league and only doctors could handle this sort of thing in their current expertise in the medical field. “I need you to stay awake, alright? Can you do that?”

“I'll try…” His voice slurred, and Marshall lands a paw on his shoulder, forcing a smile.

“It's going to be quick. Listen to my voice. Just keep listening as I wash your cut,”

Alex barely bobbed his head and Marshall prepares a bottle of water to rinse off the remains of blood tinting his skin. The Dalmatian tilts the bottle towards Alex's elbow but it was difficult when you aren't born with hands.

Something lifted the bottle and Marshall glances to see Alex pouring the water on his elbow, washing away the blood. He didn't want Alex to do anything while he is injured, but it was a great advantage to keep things short. He resumes the operation, grabbing the Neosporin and unscrewing the cap. Again, a bit troublesome, but he managed to get it open.

“Good job, Alex. You're doing great and thank you for pouring the bottle for me, by the way,” he said, pausing for a moment when he quickly realizes the problem. “Uh… if you don't mind me asking—”

“Oh, okay,” Somehow, Alex understood. Marshall had paws, but it's too risky when they are dirty. Jeopardizing the skin to be exposed to dirt would stimulate Alex to have a tetanus-shot if possible. The boy seizes the Neosporin, squeezing it to pull out some subtle amount to apply it over to his wound. “Is that enough, Marshall?…”

“Thank you,” Marshall muttered, his ears lowering a bit. “I'm so sorry for working you to do stuff _I'm_ supposed to do. If I have my pup pack with me…”

“It's fine, Marshall,” Alex smiled. “You and the PAW patrol did so much for us. I wanted to help too,”

Still, it didn't make him feel less guilty. Marshall breathes out a sigh and prayed that Ryder and the rest of the pups could come to find them. “I guess that makes sense.”

However, Marshall was starting to lose his confidence, even though he was certain that it will be fine if they just wait.

Yeah, just wait. He and Alex would be okay, for now.

* * *

Chase's heart felt heavy.

The German Shepherd watched as Ryder answered a call from Mr. Porter. The voice of the older man sounded distressed, almost alarmed. Chase had never heard such tone coming from anyone in Adventure Bay and the feelings got even heavier the more he listened to their conversation.

_“Please, Ryder! They have been missing for hours and it's close to the afternoon. You have to find my grandson and Marshall!”_

The brief mention of Marshall caused his ears to perk up in curiosity. He did recall the Dalmatian explaining to them that he's going on a cave trip with Alex for fun. Chase had been worried that there could be an accident in the caves but Marshall persuaded him that Everest had tested that the foundation of the tunnel is stable, so it would be safe that they could get out any time.

It wasn't enough for Chase to have a sinking feeling that something is terribly wrong and his fears come true once Mr. Porter had confirmed it.

“Of course. No cave is too big, no pup is too small!” There, Ryder pressed the button on his pup pad to call the rest of the canines and Chase was already zooming past the others, going inside the elevator first. The absence of Marshall not crashing into them with his clumsiness is disturbing and they all stayed quiet as the shaft elevated them to the top floor of the Lookout.

As they come out, Ryder appeared a bit pained. Chase glances to his right to the vacant spot that Marshall usually takes next to Zuma and there are only five of them, which makes him feel worse. The others had noticed the change of quantity in their team and several frowns crossed their faces, having worry and confusion as their main emotions.

“Thanks for coming, pups,” Ryder breaks the silence, hooking all of their attention to him as he describes the current situation. “We have a big rescue on our hands and we need all hands on deck to find Marshall and Alex, ”

On the screen, the animated versions of Marshall and Alex were in a cave, their expressions seeming terrified. Everyone is staring at them in utter horror and Chase quickly looks away from the image. “There seems to be an accident in the cave, trapping Marshall and Alex inside it. So in this mission, I need Spy Chase,”

The sound of his name prompted Chase to straightened his posture, switching his attitude of grief to determination. The other pups exchanged glances but didn't say anything, opting to focus on the mission. “I need you to use your spy gear to track which cave Marshall and Alex took. There are a lot of caves in the mountains, so we have to be sharp to find them,”

“Chase is on the case!” Chase said, stepping up. Then, he instantly remembered something. “Uh, actually, Ryder sir. Everest knows which cave they were in,”

Ryder blinks his eyes, a little surprised, but he smiled. “Okay then, we can use your gear to find them when we go inside the cave. There could be plenty of routes, so we expected that you'd be with us,”

Chase nodded, greatly pleased that he saved the information in his head.

“And Rubble, once we found the cave, we need your bulldozer to push away the rocks of the entrance,”

Rubble hesitated for a moment. “Uh, Rubble on the double!”

“While the rest of you pups, help us when we require it. Marshall doesn't seem to have a signal in his pup tag and we might be running out of time, so we should all head out now,”

The pups didn't howl in excitement as they normally do—not without Marshall. One of their friends is in danger and Chase didn't know if he should be guilty or just downright uneasy. He sighed and goes first on the slide, sailing down to ride on his vehicle.

After that, everything took off into a blur. Chase is nervous about Marshall and Alex's safety. He firmly believes that the two of them could take care of themselves but what if they were hurt? Oh, he can't think up how horrible it must have been to sit in the dark, upset and shivering in the cold. Chase didn't like to lose his best friend forever and the idea that Marshall…

He didn't want to consider it. Right now, he thrust his emotions away, narrowing his eyes as he and the PAW Patrol drive over to the mountains. Chase could recognize Everest's voice as she steered them to the right location, hardly seeing her face from Ryder's screen.

_“Chase?”_

Chase jostled as the voice of Rubble caught his interest. He looks at his screen to find the young Bulldog carrying an uncertain face. “Uh, yeah, Rubble?”

_“I'm worried about Marshall and Alex,”_

He grimaced and slowly nods his head. “Me too, Rubble. But we have to be strong for them, alright?” he said.

Rubble didn't look convinced but he smiled, dismissing the quiver as he answered. _“Yeah, Marshall and Alex can make it. I just hope… we aren't too late,”_

The sentence was filled with so much apprehension that Chase almost choke. “Rubble, listen. We will make it. We _all_ had to have faith in them. If Marshall were here, he wouldn't like to see you sad,”

A laugh was brought out of him. _“He would have told me puns just to make me feel better. Okay, Chase,”_ Rubble nodded. _“Thanks for telling me that. We didn't do this whole thing before, haven't we?”_

Chase shrugged. “Probably, but we always make it, did we?”

Rubble was about to respond when the sight of the mountains caused them to shift their eyes at it. Despite the distance, the more they drove closer, the height became more intimidating. Chase gulped and tried to calm his nerves.

“I'm coming, guys…” he whispered, feeling at least capable of doing the mission. “Just hold on.”

_Just hold on._


	2. Shudder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What about Rubble?”
> 
> The mention of the young Bulldog resulted in their eyes moving to him and the sight was enough to pull their heartstrings.
> 
> Rubble is crying, his eyes accumulating thick tears. He was trembling, his mouth wobbly in fear. “Rubble?…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> +warning; aftershocks. If you have a suffering traumatic experience with earthquakes, it's okay to not read.
> 
> FYI just to make you feel better, I also have a fear of earthquakes ;)

Once Chase and the rest reached their destination, the sight of the cave gave the German Shepherd goosebumps. His brown fur stood on end as he disembarks his vehicle, barely feeling the minor trembles underneath his boots that he was sure that it came from the cave. The previous thoughts that scared Chase deepened as he tucks his tail behind him, nervously shooting a worried glance at the curved entrance. It seemed that whatever is holding the burrow up during the earthquakes would soon crack from the burden and the fear of his friends getting hurt was starting to corner Chase in every direction, each possible scenario filled with rocks crashing down and one of them ending up dead.

It was a scary thought for a young pup like Chase to imagine but after experiencing situations such as this, his concerns were understandable and hard to ignore. His senses were never wrong and it always helped that it would save the day.

But this.

This is not some routine rescue mission, but a dire one—one where his closest friends were bound beneath the earth, and Chase had never felt heavier as Everest saunters to them with an almost wavering expression of worry. Her ears were noticeably downward, indicating that she carried the same sentiments as all of them, but the valiant posture was a contrast to her concern. Chase watched as she casts him a look until it went on to Ryder, who got on to ask how is the condition of the cave.

The answer they received made everyone felt tense. “The cave is doing okay but we don't have much time,”

“How, exactly?”

Ryder had asked, sounding like he was trying to keep calm about the mission, but Chase knew deep down that he was stressed. A young boy like Ryder is natural when it comes to catastrophes. However, a boy is just a boy, and even he could still act as his original age. Everest is hesitant to say but she didn't want to sugarcoat the truth to her companions—it was the only thing that they needed to hear for their mission to be successful.

“Only two hours but it could still break if we aren't fast enough,”

The atmosphere is suffocating, more preferably at least daunting, and Chase cleared his throat, instantly breaking the silence. “Well, let's hurry then! The sooner we save Marshall and Alex, the better,” he said.

Ryder gazed at him until he nodded, a smile crossing his features, but it was all simply for a show to conceal his true emotions. He turns his eyes back to the cave, ordering Rubble and Everest to clear out the rocks with their vehicles as soon as they are inside the tunnel. Chase sensed himself sweating, his heart thumping a little loudly in his chest, yet he calmed down. Easing his anxiety with a quiet encouragement that he could do this and that they will make it on time, causing his heart to cease its rapid pace for now.

With a shaky sigh, Chase heads up to follow his friends in the caves. The beams of daylight vanished immediately as they stepped into the proximity of the darkness, the warmth that previously shone on their fur now replaced with a cold breeze that swept past them, making the three pups shiver under their pup packs. The lights of Ryder's ATV were switched on, followed by Rubble and Everest. With the help of the illumination, Chase could see that everything was in complete chaos, the scene of broken rocks and cracked surfaces was worse than he'd assumed.

Assessing the damage, the cave-in that was caused by the soil above them had done terrible incursions to the foundation, and with earthquakes in the mix, Chase was having a hard time focusing. Did things truly get bad for Alex and Marshall? For this cave-in that trapped them to be this scary? Chase didn't know and he begins to use his heat vision goggles to find their imprint on the ground, guiding the team as he searches for the duo.

For a while, he had to take comfort that the cave is not falling on them.

* * *

“Marshall,” Alex whispered his name, nudging the Dalmatian awake. “I'm getting hungry,”

Marshall opens his eyes to find that—no, it's not all just a dream—but the faint glow of the flashlight was reflecting off from the jagged stone walls, meaning that Alex had turned it on when he remembered the boy checking his backpack before he went to sleep. The procedure had taken a lot out of him and more so with how mentally and physically exhausted Marshall is within the situation. On how things are currently going, it would take some time for their rescue to appear and the Dalmatian for now wanted to rest his strength for upcoming obstacles.

He exhales a loud yawn, the sound reverberating around the silence of the cave. Marshall slowly rubs his eyes to get rid of the fatigue laid on his body like a blanket. As much as he craved to succumb to the temptation, the dangers of their setting were still apparent in his thoughts, and Marshall couldn't let his guard down—not yet.

As he gains clarity in his vision, he shifted his tired stare to Alex and pushes himself to smile, his cheekbones slightly hurting from the strain. “Alrighty, just hand me your bag. I'm sure Mr. Porter packed us some food,”

Alex gives him the backpack as requested, tugging the zipper loose with his uninjured hand. Marshall sends Alex another smile and begins to dig through the pockets of the bag. He was sure that Mr. Porter had stored some snacks in case one of them got hungry. It was hard to find in the dark and he politely asked the boy to hand him the flashlight. Alex served him the flashlight and Marshall grabs it with his mouth, clenching the appliance tightly as he starts up the search.

A few seconds pass before he found granola bars, Marshall takes them out and bends his head to spit out the flashlight on the ground. The taste of hard plastic stayed in his tongue but it was worth it seeing Alex's eyes brightening at the sight of food. His stomach grumbled and Marshall attempted to ignore it. Despite being hungry, Alex needed the limited nutrition they have to replenish his energy, and Marshall himself could go longer without any food for a while.

After all, he's part of the PAW Patrol, and helping people is what he did. No matter how much he yearned for the luxuries Alex had.

“Aren't you going to eat too, Marshall?”

“What?” Marshall said, dumbfounded. “But you need this more than I do. I–I can't take it,”

Alex's lips tugged down into a concerned frown. He tilts his gaze to the granola bar in his hand and then drags it towards him. “But _you_ also need to eat. Grandpa always says that it's bad to be hungry because it would hurt your stomach,”

The Dalmatian wrinkled his brows, grimacing as his stomach continues to rumble the more he stared at the snack. He gnawed on his bottom lip, hesitating before finally conceding to his defeat. He picks the granola bar from Alex's hand and rips it open with his teeth, spitting out the wrapper. He takes a bite and almost melted at the sweet relief of flavor spreading around his tongue. “Oh, thank the heavens! I know Ryder said I shouldn't eat a lot of human food but since this is the only thing we have for the stock, he should at least let this slide, right?”

Alex chuckled and begins to eat the granola bar that he took from his other hand. The two were eating in silence, but not the kind that is filled with tension. For a quick moment, Marshall thinks that everything might be okay.

Until the aftershocks started.

* * *

“Whoa!” The ground started to shake violently, a shower of pebbles dropping from the concave ceilings. Chase breaks out into a run as rocks continue to plummet on the surface, hastily dodging them to not get hit. The rest of the team were also performing the same thing, sounds of tires screeching and engines running vibrating amidst the chaos.

After what seemed like hours, the aftershocks eventually stopped and everyone was panting heavily from the lasting adrenaline coursing through their veins. If Chase listened closely, he was sure he could hear their hearts pounding loudly in their chests. His eardrums followed the rapid beats, each one getting more louder than the latter.

“Is… everyone okay?” Ryder asked, looking at each of them in worry. “Chase?”

“I'm fine,” he breathed, closing his eyes to calm his racing heart. “Just a little shaken up…”

“Everest?”

“Same here, Ryder,” Her tone sounded stunned, but it was quickly covered by repeating her answer. “Same here…”

“What about Rubble?”

The mention of the young Bulldog resulted in their eyes moving to him and the sight was enough to pull their heartstrings.

Rubble is crying, his eyes accumulating thick tears. He was trembling, his mouth wobbly in fear. “Rubble?…”

Chase slowly walked towards the young pup but Rubble shook his head. “Rubble, what's wrong?”

“I'm scared, Chase…” he whispered, his voice screaming the words _absolutely terrified._ “I don't want Marshall and Alex to be gone. I don't want anyone to be hurt!”

He forces a choked sob, his shoulders shuddering as he went on. “I don't know… I don't like this, and I don't want to experience it again…”

Chase is staring at Rubble with his face clenched in guilt. Rubble is capable of doing things that are unlike any pup in the world, but he understood that he is still young— _too_ young to encounter such hardships as heading through the stress of potentially losing a friend close to you.

He lowered his head, feeling like he'd failed to make Rubble prepared for this. He's the oldest of the pups, he should be comforting them that it would be fine—that they could do it. But he guessed that he flunked his role as a big brother to his team.

Everest and Ryder watched the conversation in uncertainty and they swapped nervous glances. “Rubble…” Ryder started, but again, Rubble shakes his head.

“Let's just go…” he said, controlling his bulldozer to drive to the direction of where they were supposedly leading in the path. His ears were flat, not noticing how the three of them frowned at him.

Later that time, the cave has never been this quiet than ever and Chase's feelings on the matter got rougher to handle.


End file.
